This is my J&C adaptation of Susan Sizemore’s novel, "His Last Best Hope"

Jax cautiously peeped up over the stand to see if their pursuers were still behind them. At the first sound of gunfire, his hand had gone to his shoulder holster in a reflex. But one look at the startled faces of the crowds in the marketplace cancelled that plan. While Jax was fairly confident that he could hit his target, he couldn’t say the same for Mutt and Jeff. And he didn’t want to take the chance that an innocent person could be wounded – or worse – when the hit men returned his fire.

When Chloe’s head rose next to him as she tried to see what was going on, Jax pushed her back down. "Don’t move unless I tell you!" he growled.

{Gee, I wonder what kind of postcard I could get to send Ned now. Having a wonderful time my second day, darling. Being kidnapped and nearly raped wasn’t nearly exciting enough, so I decided to get shot at for some variety today Wish you were here…….REALLY!!} She looked up at Jax, who was crouched next to her and still had an iron grip on her wrist. "Did you lose them?"

"I’m not sure." His face was grim and he didn’t look at her when he spoke.

"Who is it? Faison?"

"I don’t think so." Jax’s entire body was tensed, ready for flight.

"D*mn." At Chloe’s soft expletive, Jax finally looked down at her with mild shock registering on his face. She shrugged her shoulders. "After what he did to my Aunt Gertrude and Uncle Herbert, I wouldn’t mind at all if you put a bullet between his eyes."

Jax snickered a little. "Remind me never to get on your bad side, Chloe Morgan" His eyes burned their way up and down her body. "Vindictive never looked so good." He turned back to watch the small alleyway for signs of their attackers.

"Who else could it be then?" Chloe paused a few seconds while she tried to ignore the shivers that his compliment sent racing through her body. "That other man that wants you dead? Corinthos?"

A look of surprise flitted over Jax’s face when she said the name aloud but he still kept watch on their surroundings. "How did you know about him?"

Chloe shrugged again and tried to rise a little higher to relieve her cramped leg muscles. "I could hear your men talking – when you came aboard the Morgana. Someone said he had a contract out on you."

Jax’s eyes turned a steely shade of blue-gray. "I doubt it’s Corinthos." He had only gotten a quick glimpse of their pursuers, but it was enough to tell him that they were hired guns. Corinthos had been bragging to anyone who would listen that his vendetta against El Pantera was personal. HE wanted to be the one to kill El Pantera, and Jax knew he was just crazy enough to risk appearing on Montserrat to carry out his revenge.

"Well, if it’s not Faison and it’s not Corinthos, then who the heck is it?" Chloe’s impatience brought a slight smile to Jax’s face. "Exactly how many people want you dead, Jax?"

Jax whirled and put his hand against Chloe’s mouth. "I told you not to use my name except in private!!"

He released his grip on her lips quickly, even though he was tempted to run his fingers over her smooth skin until she begged him not to stop. "I…..I thought we were alone…..I mean, there’s not exactly a lot of people around……"

Before Jax could say another word, a large watermelon about a foot from his head exploded. Chunks of juicy red fruit went flying as Chloe shielded her head and Jax dove over her for cover. He came up quickly and then grabbed her again. "Let’s go!!" he shouted, as gunfire rang out again in the stagnant noonday heat.

Chloe vaguely noted that crowds of onlookers parted like the Red Sea when they saw Jax coming. He didn’t even have to tell them to move, and she wasn’t really sure if they recognized him as El Pantera. A sobering thought occurred to her – perhaps, on this island that was known as a haven to criminals, the sight of people shooting at and chasing other people was a commonplace occurrence.

She lost track of how many times Jax pushed and pulled her through alleys. Chloe screamed aloud when she saw a large, donkey-powered cart blocking their path of escape. Jax managed to veer towards the front of the cart and let go of her hand briefly as he hurdled over the yoke. In the blink of an eye, he spun around, grabbed Chloe by the waist, and lifted her over the cart as though she weighed no more than a feather. He only paused long enough to slap the donkey hard on the flanks, urging it forward to completely block the narrow street. As Jax grabbed her hand again and they resumed their flight, Chloe heard loud cursing and shouting behind her, presumably from their pursuers.

Jax yanked her abruptly to the right and they went into another cool, dark, small shop. It smelled of leather and sweat, and Chloe’s head started to swim. But before she could react to the surroundings, Jax had pushed her ahead of him and out the back door. Dashing down a path, Jax paused only momentarily before making a sharp right and then pulling Chloe behind him again as he started running.

It seemed like they ran for hours. In reality, after a few minutes, the background changed and Chloe realized they had entered the residential portion of Montserrat. Crude frame houses huddled close together on roughly paved streets. She almost cried for joy when Jax finally stopped. Chloe doubled over at the waist, trying to catch her breath, and when she finally managed to force enough oxygen into her lungs, she straightened up. Jax was surveying the area and when she saw his eyes flare, she knew he had another plan.

Fortunately, this one didn’t involve as much running. Still holding her hand, Jax led Chloe to a wooden gate. He used his free hand to push at it, and after applying some gently force, it gave way. Jax propelled Chloe ahead of him through the gate and then let go of her hand to close the gate behind them.

Chloe put her hands on her hips and slowly took stock of her surroundings. It must have been somebody’s back yard. Much of it was grassy, or would have been if the recent tropical storm hadn’t turned it all to mud. A rope was strung from a corner eave of the house to an upright pole at the far end of the yard. Various pieces of clothing hung on the rope and Chloe realized it was probably hung out to dry in the hot noonday sun. There were some wilted vines at the other corner of the yard fenced off with some chicken wire – an attempt at a vegetable garden, no doubt.

Jax suddenly gripped Chloe’s hand again and then she heard it. Footsteps. In the alley, not far from the gate. When he pointed wordlessly at the back door to the house and raised an eyebrow at her, she nodded her understanding. Taking the lead, Jax crouched down low and they scurried through the yard as quietly as possible. Chloe tiptoed up the wooden planks that formed the back steps, but then she ran into Jax’s back with a "thud" when he stopped abruptly at the screen door.

When Chloe peered around Jax, she saw the reason for his hesitation. "Oh, my God," she whispered, shrinking behind him for safety. "Wolves!"

Jax never took his eyes off the two huge beasts that lay just beyond the screen door inside the house. "Not wolves, Chloe," he murmured. "Dogs."

"Not dogs," she retorted. Her lips barely moved as she tried to remain as still as possible. "We have *dogs* back in New York. Those things are as big as young horses!"

To her surprise, Jax chuckled a little again. "Around here, the only reason a family would have a Pomeranian is for supper!" He let go of her hand and allowed his arms to relax at his sides. "People keep dogs in this part of the world for one reason, Chloe – protection." He inched towards the two large, thin, short-haired beasts. "Don’t make any sudden moves. Just follow my lead."

Chloe felt like part of her body was missing without Jax’s hand holding hers. She held her breath as Jax approached the two animals, one of whom raised its head and glared at him ferociously. Jax crooned something in Spanish to the animal, and when Chloe saw some of the fire leave its eyes, she finally exhaled. With agonizing slowness, Jax raised his hand towards the animals, inching ever closer to them. Chloe couldn’t help herself and her hands flew to her lips when Jax actually placed his hand on one of the dogs’ heads. He continued to mutter gentle phrases in Spanish, and Chloe breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the dog that Jax was petting begin to wag his tail.

With his free hand, Jax motioned for Chloe to come closer. She walked gingerly to where Jax crouched between the two dogs. He was stroking the head of one dog and then started to rub behind the ears of the other. She actually cracked a smile when the dog licked his chops and made a contented growl at Jax’s attentions. "Smile at the nice doggies, Chloe," Jax instructed in a low voice. "And then head for the front door. I’ll be right behind you."

Chloe was about to follow his orders when she heard a noise in the back yard. "Jax! I think the bad guys just came through the gate!"

"Just stay calm and do as I told you, love," Jax muttered. She nodded and walked past the two beasts but then she froze. Somehow, she couldn’t bring herself to leave him behind. What if they got separated? What if their pursuers found her but didn’t catch Jax? She had no idea where she was or how to get away from them. "I told you to GO!" Jax snarled. "Out the front door!"

"Not without you!" she shot back. Chloe glanced up at the screen door as she heard the creak of heavy footsteps on the porch. Then she looked down at the dogs. "How do you say, "Sik ‘em!" in Spanish?"

Jax smiled again, and Chloe had to wonder – how could such a ruthless criminal have such an endearing smile? When he actually allowed his face to relax enough for a smile to work its way out, it was like a ray of sunshine in the middle of a thunderstorm. He shook his head at her question but then leaned down and whispered something in the dog’s ear, scratching him the entire time on the side of his neck.

So many things happened at once that Chloe jumped. The dog Jax had spoken to leaped to his feet, his entire body tensed and ready to attack. His canine companion was only a few seconds behind him, growling and sniffing the air as he assumed a similar pose. Jax grinned devilishly and leaned down to whisper something to the dogs again, and then moved away from them to take his place at Chloe’s side.

At the first sound of a hand on the latch on the screen door, both dogs started barking fiercely and growling. Jax grabbed Chloe’s hand and they ran towards the front of the house. He pulled open the front door and pushed Chloe through, pulling it shut behind him. As they sprinted down the walkway towards the street, Chloe caught up enough to Jax to make herself heard. "What did you say to them?"

Jax opened the front gate but then stopped and turned back to Chloe, his eyes twinkling in delight. "I simply told them that there were some very large conejitos trying to get into the house."

Chloe went through the gate. "What’s a conejito?" she asked as Jax closed it behind them. They both looked back towards the house when they heard screams and more barking and snarling.

Another grin, this one accompanied by a twinkle in his eyes that were the color of the Caribbean. "Loosely translated – bunny rabbits."

******************

They weren’t running – they were walking this time. But again, it seemed like it had been for hours. At first, Jax had quickly led Chloe through more residential streets, following a weaving pattern that made her dizzy. Soon, they emerged into a commercial neighborhood again, with small shops and vendors taking the place of the frame houses.

The crowds seemed to have thinned from earlier, Chloe noticed, although she decided that it was probably due to the stifling heat. More than anything, she just wanted Jax to stop and let her get a drink of water and rest for a few minutes. Her T-shirt and shorts were drenched with perspiration, and she had no doubt that she probably smelled just as bad as the cart belonging to the fish vendor they passed.

Chloe almost dropped to her knees in thanks when Jax seemed to read her mind and slowed their pace. His right hand left her wrist and slid around her waist as he pushed her head onto his shoulder with his left hand. "Nuzzle up against me," he muttered in a husky voice. "We need to look like we’re lovers on our way to an afternoon siesta……."

"STOP!" Jax wasn’t at all prepared for Chloe’s rebellious obection. She pulled away from him and crossed her arms like a petulant two-year-old. "I refuse to go another step!"

Jax tried to smile at some onlookers who stopped what they were doing and were staring at the young, blonde couple. His eyes shot fire at Chloe as he pulled her flush against his hips, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Wapa," he purred, using an endearment that emphasized her sexy appearance. "Remember – we have an audience." He dropped his lips to the place where her neck met her shoulder and then turned her slowly so that she could see the curious island natives. "Would you rather be with the two men with the guns again?"

Chloe put her hands on Jax’s shoulders and tried to push herself away from him. "You know I don’t, you filthy beast," she whispered angrily. "But I refuse to go another step until you tell me exactly where we’re going…….and why I have to act like your whore until we get there!"

{Think of it from her standpoint, Jax. Her family’s been killed, almost before her eyes; she’s been kidnapped and threatened with rape; you’ve dragged her halfway across the island, trying to prevent men from killing her when they really want you – doesn’t she deserve some compassion? Doesn’t she deserve to know SOMETHING about what you’re doing?}

Jax took a slow, deep breath. "I do have a plan, Chloe," he whispered, cupping her face in his hands. He pushed the sweat-soaked hair back off her forehead. "I’m taking you to a friend – where you’ll be safe." He looked around nervously as more and more people seemed to be taking notice of them. "That’s really all I can tell you for now. I know it’s been rough on you, and I know you’re probably hot and tired. But I need you to keep up this charade with me or somebody’s going to get suspicious……do you think you can do this? For me?"

Chloe felt like her body melted against Jax in the tropical sun and for an instant, she had the ridiculous urge to kiss him. {What’s the matter with you, Chloe? Just because the man seems to care about you……it doesn’t change the fact that he almost scared the life out of you last night. But I’m just so hot…..and tired…….and it feels so good when he rubs his fingers over my cheeks like that……} She closed her eyes and wasn’t sure if it was Jax’s soft words or her anxiety, but the blackness seemed to engulf her and Chloe thought she was going to pass out.

"Chloe? Are you alright?" She opened her eyes at Jax’s question and nodded her head weakly. "Good." Jax put his arm around her waist again and pulled her against his side. "It’s not much further. We just need to go to beyond the next plaza……"

They started walking again and Chloe didn’t find it difficult to rest her head on Jax’s shoulder and play her part. In fact, she was tempted to close her eyes and just let him lead her there. When they passed a small cantina, Chloe’s stomach reacted to the spicy smells drifting outside with a vengeance. The fact that she hadn’t had any breakfast or really any supper the night before caused gastric juices to rise in her throat. Her stomach growled noisily but Jax didn’t hear it in the hustle and bustle of the mercantile neighborhood.

Jax felt Chloe’s body tense as she realized just how hungry she was. He stopped again – unfortunately, just outside the cantina. "Chloe?" Her eyes fluttered shut and Jax grabbed her by the shoulders. "Can you hear me? Do you feel ill?" She wobbled unsteadily on her feet, but just then, a man carrying some garbage happened to pass them. Odors of the remains of fish and rancid tomatoes wafted out of the huge bags piled on his cart and teased at Chloe’s nose.

Her eyes shot open and her face went pale, even in the heat. "Jax?" Chloe whispered. She knew he had warned her not to use his name, but she felt like she was about to die and she didn’t know anyone else to turn to. "I don’t feel too good……I’m so emp……"

Chloe never finished explaining the nature of her ailment. When the blackness closed in around her and she fell to the ground in a faint, Jax caught her in his arms.

*****************

Jax stared at his young, beautiful captive from across the room. Filmy curtains on the windows kept out some of the sun’s strongest rays, but it was still stifling. His life certainly had been anything but dull since Chloe entered it. Keeping a low profile was hard to do when carrying an unconscious female through the marketplace on Montserrat. They had been SO close to Saint Isabel’s Mission when Chloe had collapsed. Jax was tempted to just carry her the rest of the way, but when the curious gawkers started getting vocal, he had to concede to plan B.

As though he were drawn by some invisible magnet, he got up and came closer to her, observing every detail that he had failed to notice before. With no electricity thanks to the storm – and therefore, no air conditioning – a faint sheen of perspiration made Chloe’s skin glow. Jax reached out to lightly touch her cheek, telling himself that he was just checking to make sure she wasn’t running a temperature. But in the humid confines of the upstairs room at Leanita’s, he couldn’t be sure if the heat he felt was coming from inside her body or outside. His fingers trailed gently to push her hair back off her face. She really was a beautiful woman – so peaceful and innocent-looking in her sleep. Almost like an angel.

{Just the kind that doesn’t belong with a devil like El Pantera.} Jax pulled his hand away to run his fingers through his own sweat-dampened hair. {D*mnit! Why did Chloe Morgan have to come along at this point in my life?! Just when I was about to wrap up this investigation of Stefan Cassidine, make the bust, and then tell Naval Intelligence to take their job and stuff it!! Just when I could get this all under my belt in time to make Jerry’s wedding …….}

Thoughts of his brother’s upcoming nuptials suddenly made Jax look down at Chloe’s left hand. He stifled his gasp and then crouched down to bring his eyes level with the fingers that rested on the edge of the bed nearest him. {Interesting. Third finger, left hand. Pale band indicating the presence at one time of a ring of some kind.} Jax stared back up at Chloe’s face. {Were you married, Chloe Morgan? Engaged? ARE you married, and just not wearing a ring? I don’t think so – you would have threatened me with some kind of husband-vengeance by now…….unless you’re no longer speaking to him…….}

When Jax heard a noise outside the bedroom door, his instincts kicked in. He was on his feet and standing next to the door in a heartbeat, his hand on the butt of his gun as the door slowly opened. The intruder came through the door and closed it behind her when Jax grabbed her tightly around the waist.

"PANTERA!!" The buxom redhead’s squeal was stifled when Jax spun her and pulled her tightly against his chest. She pushed away from him angrily, muttering in rapid Spanish. "Madre de Dios’!! Is this how you repay me? When I allow you to bring an unconscious young woman into my establishment, no questions asked?"

Jax grinned lustily and allowed his hands to travel upwards from her waist. His notched his fingers, giving his thumbs the opportunity to graze delicate flesh. "Leanita, you have my most sincere apologies!" He lowered his face to the crook of her neck, taking a sharp bite there before soothing it with his tongue. He trailed his lips up the side of her neck to croon in her ear. "How will I ever make this up to you, suculentita?"

Where they had been flat against Jax’s shoulders before, Leanita’s hands now clutched at his shirt as her head drooped to the side to allow him better access. "Ahhhhh, Pantera," she moaned. "I have missed your touch." She slid her hands into his hair, running her fingers tipped with bright-red polish through the luxuriant gold. "It has been too long……."

Jax pulled back to give her a lewd smile as he ground his hips against hers. "Now, Leanita…..I thought you told me that you liked it long……"

Chloe’s low moan caused Leanita to glance over her shoulder. She turned back to Jax and pursed her lips, slapping at his shoulders. "You are a naughty man, Pantera." He allowed her to escape his embrace as she walked over to where Chloe lay. Jax leaned lazily against the doorjamb as he enjoyed the view of her swinging hips. Leanita put a hand to Chloe’s forehead and then turned back to Jax. "Has she awakened yet?"

"No." Jax’s smile changed to a frown. "Do you think it’s something serious?"

Leanita took a damp rag from a bowl on the nightstand and then mopped Chloe’s forehead. "I doubt it. Probably a combination of heat and her empty stomach."

Another frown. "Empty stomach? You think she’s just hungry?"

Leanita threw down the rag and put her hands on her hips in disgust. "The rumbling in her stomach is louder than Azulita’s moans when you favor her with your…….attentions."

Jax strolled over towards Leanita, his blue eyes gleaming with golden fireworks in the darkened room. "And just what do you suppose I could do to persuade you to give me some of that famous soup of yours?" She was already breathing hard when he reached her, but Jax spun her around and pulled her back against his chest, spooning her from behind. "You know – the spicy kind….." He slipped his hands up under her arms to caress her breasts while lowering his lips to the spot behind her ear. "I seem to have a weakness for …… spicy things." He abruptly turned her around to face him and pressed his open mouth to the front of her blouse, stimulating her breasts through the fabric. "Would some of my …… attentions……be adequate payment?" he murmured when he raised his head.

Leanita arched her back as her eyes fluttered shut in pleasure. "Ahhhh, Pantera……you remember how good we are together too, no?" She reached out to thread her fingers through his hair, holding his head firmly in place as he moved to her other breast, creating a matching circle of wet fabric over the center of her breast. "Perhaps you are hungry for my special …….. attentions……also?"

When Chloe started to moan softly again and turned her head back and forth on the pillow, Jax groaned. "I’m afraid I must think of my ……. friend’s……..hunger before my own." Jax’s hands slid down and he fondled Leanita’s shapely derriere briefly before turning her loose. "Some of your famous soup and some bread, por favor."

"Only soup and bread? How long has it been since she has eaten?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chloe was walking through cottony clouds. Her feet felt like lead, but it felt so good and so soft in the clouds. The sounds of voices vaguely registered in her consciousness, and then she felt the cotton fading away. It was replaced by a blast furnace – had she died and gone to hell? Surely she hadn’t been THAT evil of a person.

As she slowly tried to open one eye, she began to really think she had joined Satan and his comrades. Despite a fan rotating on the ceiling, it was hotter than any room she had even been in. There were red filmy draperies on the windows and black and red were the dominant colors in the furnishings. Some kind of red satin dressing gown was draped over a folding screen in the corner next to a boudoir lamp with a fringed shade – red, of course. When Chloe opened both eyes, she almost screamed at the sight of the woman next to the bed. She was wearing a skin-tight, garish, pink and fluorescent yellow floral print dress that barely covered her ……. assets.

"Are you sure that will be enough?" the woman whispered. Chloe stifled another gasp as she saw Jax pull her into his arms with a grin on his face. "Perhaps I should give you more……."

"I don’t need more than that for her," Jax replied in a business-like tone. Chloe fought the bile that rose in her throat as Jax passed a hand over the woman’s ample bosom. "But I still think that this bargain is less than fair to you……."

Chloe couldn’t take any more. She tried to sit up, propping her weight on her elbows behind her. "Where are we?"

Jax’s eyes widened to see Chloe awake and he pushed past Leanita, who nodded and went to the door for the requested nourishment. "Chloe!" he whispered with a smile. "You’re awake!"

Chloe inhaled and started to say his name, but all she got out was the "J" before he sat next to her on the bed and covered her mouth with his hand. He looked over his shoulder to make sure Leanita had left the room, and then he removed his hand and nodded. "Jax!" she exclaimed. "What’s going on?" She sank back onto the pillows as another wave of dizziness hit her. She put her hand to her forehead and covered her eyes, but then suddenly pulled it away as her eyes shot wide open. "Is this……was that woman…….where are we?"

Jax snickered and pushed some hair back off her forehead. "In a whorehouse, my dear Chloe."

There was only a few seconds of silence before Chloe bounced back up off the pillows and swatted at Jax’s face. "THIS is the FRIEND you were bringing me to??!! Who would keep me safe??!! You b*stard!!"

Jax grabbed her flailing hand with his. "I’M a b*stard?? I saved your life when those men were shooting at us, caught you when you fainted in the square, and brought you to a safe place and I’M a b*stard?"

Chloe pulled her hand from his grasp and put both balled fists on her hips. "El Pantera, or Jax, or whatever your name is – if you think you can sell me to some madam and force me to be a prostitute, you can…….you can just……..go to h*ll!!!"

To be continued……..